Ray Evans was a minister, missionary, scholar, and teacher. He preached at University Church of Christ which later merged with Central Church of Christ to form Alameda Church of Christ. Working diligently with college students, Ray believed teaching God’s word would encourage the next generation of teachers to dig deeper and reach farther. Ray had a master’s degree in Old Testament Studies, was working on his PhD in Communications, was a preaching minister, and a missionary in The Hague, Netherlands, but his passion was teaching. He joined the Preston Road School of Preaching as a professor to share his experience and encourage the next generation of preaching ministers. His students experienced great loss when Ray and three of his colleagues were killed in a plane crash on February 22, 1979.  

This seminar and the Ray Evans Library at Alameda are memorials of his passion for teaching and encouraging students of the Bible. Those who are searching will find answers they seek, and Ray wanted to share his appetite for the Bible with those around him. His wife, JoAnn Belknap, continued to remember his diligence and shared it with others in this annual Bible seminar.  JoAnn passed away in 2023, and this year's Ray Evans Seminar serves in memory of her as well. 

Every year, a Bible scholar comes to Alameda to share his area of Biblical knowledge in celebration of Ray Evans’ dedication. His legacy lives on in the loved ones he left behind who share with us his hunger for teaching and learning together in the family of Christ.